U.S. Pat. No. 5,672,121 issued to Miller on Sep. 30, 1997 discloses a portable golf ball teeing device and a golf ball and tee retrieving device. The device has pivoting jaws for holding two golf balls. The device can be operated with one hand and includes a coil spring to keep the jaws in a closed position. A golf ball and tee placed in the device may be set into the ground and handles pulled to release the jaws.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,707,303 issued to Berkowitz et al. on Jan. 13, 1998 discloses a portable golf ball teeing device which has a vertical gripping mechanism of opposed jaw members which grip the golf ball and associated tee and an actuating mechanism for activating and deactivating the jaws. In operation, the jaws are pivoted apart to allow insertion of a golf ball and tee, then pivoted together to grip the tee and golf ball. The apparatus, when not in use for setting a tee, can be used as a support for the user in a resting position. The problem with this device is that the ball and tee have to be manually held by the user in an aligned position until the jaws are pivoted to grip the ball and tee.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,819,938 issued Apr. 11, 1989 to Hill discloses a portable golf teeing device having an elongated handle with a pair of generally concave opposing jaws which are movable relative to one another. The jaws form concave gripping elements which engage a golf ball or tee and allow selective placement of the tee and golf ball relative to one another prior to inserting the tee into the ground. The ball is aligned by a plate on one side of the jaws.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,949,961 issued Aug. 21, 1990 to Milano discloses a portable golf teeing device having a wedge and wheel operated, spring-biased, normally closed clamp at a first terminal end of a handle with a clamp operable and adapted for setting a golf ball on a captured tee.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,669,646 issued Sep. 23, 1997 to Fiocca et al. discloses a portable golf teeing device having a gripper disposed at one end of a long shaft for manipulating golf balls and a tee. The device at the opposite end of the shaft for inserting the tee into the ground is a pair of spring-biased jaws.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,503,394 issued Apr. 2, 1996 to Mauck et al. discloses a portable golf teeing device. The device has a spike which extends into the ground allowing a golf bag to be positioned against the device for holding the bag upright. The device utilizes an elongated spring-loaded tube disposed within an outer tube having a golf ball holder and a gripper for a golf tee on one end thereof. Levers are provided to permit release of the tee and golf ball when the unit has been inserted into the ground.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,616,826 issued Oct. 14, 1986 to Trefts discloses a portable golf teeing device. The device has a pair of arms pivotally mounted at the base of the unit. The arms are spring-biased to engage and support a ball on top of a tee. After the tee is pushed into the ground, hand-operated rods pivot the arms against the spring bias to release the ball and tee.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,609,198 and 5,310,177 show asymmetric golf ball and tee setting devices which must be swung away from the set tee and golf ball in given rotational arc. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,904,200, 4,526,369,4,589,661 and 5,205,598 provide asymmetric devices having a single spring-loaded arm which swings away from the set ball and tee in a given direction.
Most of these devices have vertical jaws for holding the golf ball which prevents independently aligning the golf tee. Further, the devices lack stability. In most devices, the operator must hold and support the unit when placing and releasing the ball. This requires very steady hands because the slightest movement can knock the ball off the tee. This disadvantage is compounded by the fact that people with health problems are most likely to use this type of apparatus. The devices also have difficulty in setting the tee and ball in the unit and opening up spring-loaded jaws. The devices are also complicated to manufacture, since most of the devices use a scissors-type motion. The devices are not free-standing on the ground.
It is an object of the invention to provide a golf teeing device which is simple in construction and allows the tee and golf ball to be inserted separately into the device. It is another object of the invention to provide such a device that transmits and applies a substantially centrally aligned axial force to the golf ball. It is a further object of the invention to provide such a device which is compact and easy to use, with a base plate that allows the device to be free-standing. It is a still further object to provide such a device which contains a removable ball stop to allow feeding of golf balls. Another object is to provide storage areas for both golf balls and golf tees. Other objects and the advantages of the invention will appear from the following description of the invention.